The Duleep Trophy 2025 quarterfinals, at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, have achieved many dramatic moments, but North Zone’s complete domination of the East Zone in their last game stands out. No less than two remarkable performances would be the highlights of the match. All-rounder from Delhi, Ayush Badoni, and a pacer from Jammu & Kashmir, Auqib Nabi, pushed North Zone forward to the semifinals on August 31, 2025.

This piece will detail Badoni’s excellent double century and Nabi’s remarkable bowling and explain how both scored an impressive part of a complete team performance that caught the eye of both fans and analysts.

Ayush Badoni’s Fluent Double Ton: A Red-Ball Masterclass

Ayush Badoni, a 25-year-old batter from Delhi, created history in the Duleep Trophy by scoring an unbeaten 204 off 223 balls and became only the second player to score a double century in first-class cricket. Resuming at 388/2 on Day 4, the North Zone decided to bat on and declared for an incredible 658/4, for a total lead of 833 runs and a drawn match.

Badoni resumed his innings on 56 and continued to bat with authority, reaching his century in 123 balls and his double century in 222 balls, finishing off with a boundary in the last hour. In the last hour of play, Badoni scored 54 runs from 55 balls and struck 13 fours and 3 sixes, a mix of aggressive and precise strokes.

Badoni’s 204* is his second-highest first-class score, behind a 205* off 216 for Delhi vs Jharkhand in the 2024 Ranji Trophy. Earlier in the Duleep Trophy, Badoni batted conservatively yet aggressively to dominate East Zone bowlers Shami and Manishi, especially during the second innings. He achieved a strike rate of 91.47. In partnership with Ankit Kumar (198) and Yash Dhull (133), they brought the North Zone into a massive lead and set themselves up for victory. In only 15 first-class matches, Badoni has now scored over 1,200 runs at an average of over 55, including four hundreds and four fifties.

Auqib Nabi’s Historic Bowling: A Double Hat-Trick

If Badoni’s bat sparkled, Auqib Nabi‘s bowling magic on Day 2 flipped the match firmly on its head. The 28-year-old Jammu & Kashmir quick bowler unleashed a scintillating spell of bowling to collect 5/28, which included a rare double hat-trick (four wickets in four consecutive balls) in the first innings of the East Zone. East Zone was chasing the North Zone total of 405, bowled out for 230 in 56.1 overs, conceding a first innings lead of 175 runs to North. 

Nabi’s spell commenced with the dismissal of Virat Singh (69) and finished in the 53rd over when he dismissed four East Zone players in the one over. Nabi dismissed Suraj Jaiswal, Manishi, Mukhtar Hussain, and finally Mohammed Shami (lbw).

Nabi’s accomplishment put him in history as just the third bowler in Duleep Trophy history to take a hat-trick, along with legends Kapil Dev and Sairaj Bahutule, and the first to take four wickets in four balls. His accuracy and speed, at an average of about 130 km/h, caught the attention of teammate Arshdeep Singh, who claimed Nabi took “seven wickets in ten balls” during nets.

Nabi’s 44 runs in North Zone’s first innings contributed to his all-around performance, and he was awarded the Player of the Match. Since this impressive performance, which came off the back of an astounding 44 wickets in a Ranji Trophy season, there have been increases in calls for a Test cap for India, with fans dubbing him a “generational talent.”

Conclusion

Ayush Badoni’s 204* and Nabi’s remarkable 5/28 with a rare double hat-trick led North Zone to the easy victory in the quarter-finals, and then they went on to meet South Zone in the semi-final on September 4. Badoni’s classy double-hundred was the cornerstone of North’s mammoth innings of 833 runs. Nabi’s fiery spell was all the more exciting to witness because he recorded four wickets on four consecutive deliveries. He will likely be considered one of India’s new generation of fast bowlers.

The event is a testament to the enduring usefulness of the Duleep Trophy, continuing to be a launching pad for India’s next stars and a stage for players hoping to play test cricket. The public expressed frustration over the absence of live coverage of the match, despite Sports18 having the Duleep Trophy rights, with many having hit social media for further prominence of such exciting events. As the tournament moves to the semi-finals, the spotlight will remain on Badoni’s magical batting and Nabi’s record feat.